Drugs

Researcher May Solve Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Indiana University School of Medicine researcher Xiongbin Lu is reporting several important findings related to triple negative breast cancer and its treatment. Unlike the three most common forms of breast cancer, he says, triple negative breast cancer has no approved targeted therapies for treatment.

In a paper, Lu and University of Maryland researchers report that TP53 is the most frequently mutated gene in triple negative breast cancer, meaning it fuels the growth of the aggressive cancer. However, it is not a druggable target because of its potential toxicity for nearby healthy cells.

The researchers say they found a neighboring gene, POLR2A, that was a viable target but required some additional effort. Using nanotechnology, they created a “nano-bomb” targeting POLR2A that kills only the cancerous cell and leaves healthy cells alive.

Lu says the nanotechnology approach has potential implications in ovarian, lung, and colorectal cancers that also display the mutated TP53 gene.

Gupta Raises Concerns About Overton’s Independence, Ideology

FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton’s responses on vaccines, contraception and abortion medication during her 9/24 Senate confirmation hearing raise concerns that ideology could influence her decision-making if she takes over the agency, MSNBC senior medical analyst Dr. Vin Gupta said Friday. Gupta was particularly critical of Overton’

Overton Confirmation Remains Uncertain After Senate Hearing

FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton emerged from her Senate confirmation hearing Thursday (see earlier story) without resolving questions about whether she has enough Republican support to advance — and with a rapidly narrowing window for confirmation before the midterm elections. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing provided few

FDA Classifies Boston Scientific Imager II Catheter Recall as Class I

FDA has classified Boston Scientific's recall of its Imager II Angiographic Catheters as Class I because a manufacturing problem could cause catheter tips to degrade and detach, potentially resulting in life-threatening complications. The agency announced the Class I classification 9/25, updating an Early Alert it issued

FDA Approves Gazyva for Childhood-Onset Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome

FDA has approved Roche’s Gazyva (obinutuzumab) for reducing the risk of relapse in adults and children aged 2 and older with frequently relapsing or steroid-dependent, childhood-onset idiopathic nephrotic syndrome who are in remission. The expanded approval covers the use of the CD20-directed antibody beyond its existing

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Gupta Raises Concerns About Overton’s Independence, Ideology

Overton Confirmation Remains Uncertain After Senate Hearing

FDA Classifies Boston Scientific Imager II Catheter Recall as Class I

FDA Approves Gazyva for Childhood-Onset Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome